Samsung to Launch First Yongin Chip Plant by 2029 as South Korea Speeds Up Semiconductor Hub 
SK Hynix Soars 13% in Nasdaq Debut After Record $26.5 Billion IPO 
Morgan Stanley Names Marks & Spencer Top European Retail Pick, Sees Strong Upside 
Chinese Chip Stocks Jump as Apple Reportedly Tests CXMT Memory Chips for China Devices 
SoftBank Corp Partners With Sierra to Expand AI Customer Support Across Japan 
Yaskawa Electric Shares Slide as Weak Profit Overshadows Strong AI Demand 
SK Hynix’s $28 Billion U.S. Share Sale Draws Massive Demand Amid AI Chip Boom 
Elon Musk Says Anthropic Leads AI Race as Claude Models Challenge OpenAI 
Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery Merger Faces Lawsuit From 12 States 
SK Hynix’s $28B U.S. IPO Draws Strong Demand as AI Chip Boom Fuels Investor Interest 
Levi Strauss Raises 2026 Outlook After Q2 Earnings Beat, Shares Drop Despite Strong Results 
Zhipu AI Raises HK$31.37 Billion in Discounted Share Sale to Accelerate AI Growth 
Nvidia Tightens AI Chip Sales in Asia With Stricter Customer Approval Process 
Morgan Stanley Says China’s Reusable Rocket Progress Poses Long-Term Challenge to SpaceX 
Genesis Minerals to Acquire Vault in A$5.6 Billion Deal After Regis Withdraws 
Kitron Q2 Revenue Beats Estimates as Defense Demand Lifts Growth 
Shares of South Korea’s top chipmakers, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, soared on Thursday after securing a major partnership with OpenAI to supply advanced memory chips for its next-generation data centres. The announcement added nearly $37 billion to their combined market value, fueling optimism in the semiconductor sector.
Samsung Electronics rallied more than 4%, marking its strongest level since January 2021, while SK Hynix surged over 12% to a record high. Their gains also lifted South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI index, which jumped more than 3% to an all-time peak.
The deal is tied to U.S. President Donald Trump’s $500 billion Stargate artificial intelligence project, which aims to build massive AI-focused data infrastructure. OpenAI will collaborate with the South Korean giants to construct two data centres, often described as a “Korean-style Stargate.”
Analysts believe the partnership could stabilize high bandwidth memory (HBM) chip prices, which were under pressure from growing competition. According to KB Securities analyst Jeff Kim, demand from the Stargate initiative will offset price concerns and strengthen the outlook for both companies. He also noted the project could influence South Korea–U.S. trade talks, potentially easing tensions and benefiting Seoul’s exporters.
The AI-driven chip demand is already reshaping South Korea’s economy. September exports posted their fastest growth in 14 months despite tariff challenges, underscoring semiconductors as a key growth driver. Meanwhile, Seoul is working to finalize a preliminary trade agreement reached with Trump in July, which would cut U.S. tariffs in exchange for a $350 billion Korean investment package. However, negotiations have faced delays due to concerns over foreign exchange impacts and investment structure.
Beyond semiconductors, Samsung affiliates such as Samsung SDI, Samsung C&T, and Samsung SDS also gained momentum, supported by the broader partnership with OpenAI. The collaboration highlights South Korea’s strategic role in the global AI race, strengthening its position as a leader in advanced technology and semiconductor innovation.
